Fodder-cutter



(No Model.) J DICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1A FODDER CUTTER.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. DICK.

FODDER GUTTER.

No. 433,521. Patented Aug.5,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOSEPH DICK, OF CANTON, OHIO.

FODDER-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,521, dated August5, 1890. Application led March 28, 1890. Serial Nol 345,673. (No model.)

To all? whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH DICK,a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Canton, county of Stark, State of Ohio, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Fodder-Outters, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification. y

My invention relates to improvements in fodder-cutters; and it consistsin certain features of construction and combination of of parts, as willbe hereinafter described,and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a broken perspective offodder-cutters illu strating my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken frontelevation showing knife-wheel and knives secured thereto. Fig. 3 isalongitudinal sectional view of the bottom feed-roller and a view of theroller-heads- Fig. 4E is a perspective of detail mechanism for drivingthe top feedroller; Fig. 5, a rear elevation of top feedroller anddriving mechanism; Fig. (i, a perspective comprising the parts in detailof gearshipper. Fig. 7 is a plan view of top feedroller, showing theconvex end portions of the roller and concave cheeks of supportingframe.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

A represents the gear-supporting frame, Bthe fodder-box, and C theknife-wheel, said wheel having a peripheral portion a and arms a. andu?, the arms a connecting the hub portion a with the rim, said armshaving perforated boss portions a3 and a4, the latter being adjacent thehub portion of the wheel and in advance of the former. There is also anarm a5 projecting' outwardly from the hub z, and on the rim a areperforated bosses a6. The

' Wheel O is mounted on the front end portion of the shaft D, said shaftbeing supported in journal-boxes a7.

In some of the machines as heretofore constructed straight knives, asas, have been provided and secured to the arm d, as shown in Figs. l and2, the inner end orheel portion of the knife a8 being secured to theboss portion d4 of the arm d and the outer end poi'- tion to the bossco3, the heel portion in advance, or a curved knife has beensubstituted.

In the operation of machines of this class the cut or rake of thestraight knife is downward and outward, causing by such movement notonly a colnpacting of the fodder from the center of the knife-wheel,thereby requiring more power to do the cutting, but in addition thecompactness of the fodder has a tendency to and does to some eX- tentspring the knife out, so as to render the cut at that portion of the boximperfect, and as a result the fodder is only liayed or split, and notseparated or cut off (until after it has been fed out two or more times)the length required. To obviate this difficulty a second knife ci isprovided having an inwardlycurved cutting-edge d10, the heel portion'ofsaid knife secured to the outer end portion of the short arm d5 and thefront or outer end portion to the rim of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 2,by which position t-he front end will pass down and over the fodder witha downward and inward rake or cut, compacting the fodder at the insideof the fodder-box, or just opposite that caused by the straight knifeas, the short arm c5 raising the heel of the knife a9 up and over thefodder at the inside portion of the box, by which movement of theoppositely-cutting knives the fodder is held more evenly spread acrossthe box as fed by the rolls and mangling and cutting a portion of thefodder longer than is desired avoided.

It will be understood that the knives hereinafter referred to cutagainst a fixed blade I), partly removed to show the bottom feedroller.

The mechanism for feeding the fodder to the knives consists, first, ofthe peculiarlyconstructed rolls E and F, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Forconvenience and to reduce the initial cost, the roll E is formed ofthree parts-a cylindrical body portion b and two head portions Z22-saidhead portions overlapping a portion of the ends of the cylinder, asshown. The heads have journals b3 integral therewith to support and uponwhich the rolls may be rotated, and grooves, as b4, to engage ribs 515on the end portions of the cylinder, the heads being held in positionbythe cheeks of the metal frame-piece G and the IOO journal-boxes b5. v Atop roller is provided having peripheral longitudinal ribs h6 landjournals 117 and hs, said journals placed in the jaw portion b9 of theframe-piece G. Engaging-hooks d are placed over said journals, the otherends of which are secured to a springbar CZ', which is pivotally securedto spring d2, the energy of which is exerted downwardly. The connectionbetween the bar and the spring is to allow either end of the bar to riseindependently of the other to allow the roller F t0 adapt itself, oreither end thereof, to the fodder passing between the rolls.

To provide for the independent movement of the ends of the top roll F,the end portions d3 are made convex and the inside cheek portions d* ofthe frame-piece G are correspondingly concaved, the object of which isto provide against the heads moving away from thev cheeks of the frameand thereby forming an opening or space between the head and the cheekinto which fodder may be passed and thereby defeat the object andoperation of the machine. As a means of rotating said rollers, there is`provided at the inner end thereof square sockets d6 and di, into whichfit the inner ends of the driving-shafts d8 and (Z9, the other or outerends being supported in the hubs 71. of engaging gear-wheels I-l and J.

The hub of wheel J rests and rotates in a suitable journal-box in theframe-piece K. On the inner end of the shaft d8 is provided a knuckleh', having an aperture h2 at one of its ends adapted to receive the endof the shaft d8, the other end being truncated and forming oval sidesh3, the larger portion thereof to engage the sides of the socket d6,thus forming a flexible connection between the shaft and the rollers.The outer end of the shaft d8 is passed into the hub h3 of wheel H, saidhub supported by and rotatedin journal-box h4, said box loosely. securedin an aperture in the frame-piece K, thus providing for a slight rockingmovement of the box, as shown by the dotted lines. The gear-wheels arepurposely made loose at the pitch-line to provide for this rockingmovement of the Wheel. By this arrangement of the shaft da and roller Fthe roller may rise at either end Without cramping or binding to adaptitself to the fodderbetween the rolls.

Motion is communicated from the main shaft D, having a sprocket-wheelh5, which has a chain engagement with a similar wheel h, supported on astud hi', secured to the frameplate M, the hub of wheel he having aclutch engagement with a pinion ,718, supported on stud k7, engaging asimilar wheel hg, mounted on the outer end of shaft 7c, journaled in asuitable box 7c at the top portion of frameplate M. On the inner end ofsaid shaft is mounted a bevel-pinion 702, that alternately engagescorresponding bevel-wheels k3 and 7a4, mounted facing each other onroller-driving shaft df. The said wheels are spaced apart by a sleeve765 such distance as to allow the pinion to rotate between and out ofengagement with either, for the purpose hereinafter described.

On the shaft dg is placed a yoke k6, loosely mounted on sleeves k7,placed at each end thereof and secured by pins ks, said yoke having adownwardly-extended portion 109, that has a sliding engagement with theframeplate M, by which it is held against rotation.

On the plate M is provided a socket m, in which is placed a stud m',having an eccentric portion m2, said portion having a centralapertureminwhichisplacedtheverticalshaft m4, said shaft having near itsupper end portion an eccentric portion m5, and its upper end having aportion mfadapted to be embraced by some suitable form of wrench, as m9.parts are shown apart in Fig. 6 and assembled in Fig.. l, in which itwill be seen that the stud m is secured in the socket m by a set-screwm10, the shaft m4 in the aperture m3, and the eccentric m5 in the yokelr6. In the plate M is provided elongated apertures m7, through whichbolts m8 are passed to secure said plate in desired adjustment to theframe and other engaging parts of the machine. N is a cover for thegear-wheels H and J.

In operation' the feed is as shown in Fig. l, the pinion 7a2 andbevel-wheel 154 intermeshing to stop the feed. A wrench, as m9, isplaced on the end portion m6 of the shaft m4, and the eccentric turnedinwardly, or to the right, which will carry the wheel 7a4 out ofengagewith the pinion and stop the rollers, the pinion revolving betweenthe wheels 7c3 and 7a4. To reverse the movement the eccentric is turnedfarther on to throw the wheel 7c3 into engagement with thedriving-pinion 7a2, which reverses the feed; and to adjust the throw ofthe eccentric to adapt it to move the yoke and wheels the desireddistance to engage and disen gage thel wheels and pinion the stud m maybe turned in the socket m to adjust the throw of the eccentric m5. Theadvantage of this arrangement will be appreciated by those familiar withthe use of such machines,.as in their use it frequently happens that thefeed should be instantly stopped or reversed to save the operator frominjury or the machine from violence.

Having thus fully described the nature and object 0f my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fodder-cutter, the combination of a knife-wheel having its axisand supportingshaft parallel with the fodder-box, said Wheel havingknife-supporting arms a d5, a straightedge blade secured to the arm@,andacurved blade secured to the rim of the wheel and to the short armd5 to cut transverse to the axis of said wheel, the cutting-edges ofsaid knives to rake oppositely in their sweep across the stationaryknife, substantially as set forth.

' .2. In afodder-cutter, a feed-roll comprising a central cylindricalbody portion having its ends provided with ribs Z915, and heads havingjournals and flanged edges, which latter are provided with grooves b4 toreceive the ribs These IOO Z315, and thereby prevent the heads twistingin their engagement with the body portion.

3. The combination, in a fodder-cutter, of the rollers E and F, thelatter having convex end portions, a roller-supporti ng frame Gr, havingconcave cheek portions, and a yielding driving-shaft, substantially asdescribed, an d for the purpose set forth.

4. VThe co1nbination,in afodder-cutterhaving rollers E and F, of ayielding shaft d8 and shaft d, having meshing gear-wheels l-I and J,gear-yi'heels 7c3 and 154, mounted on the latter shaft and facinginwardly, a driving-pinion between said Wheels, and a gearshipper bywhich said Wheels may be brought into engagement with said pinionalternately, as desired, or held out of engagement, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a fodder-cutter, the combination, with the main frame A, of theframe-plate M, hav ing a stud 71,7 mounted therein, a journal-box 7a', ashaft k therein geared to the main shaft D, a pinion 7a2, mounted on theinner end of shaft 7c, gear-Wheels 7c3 and h4 to engage said pinionalternately on its opposite side, and a gear-shipper to carry said Wheelinto engagen ment with said pinion, substantially as de scribed, and forthe purpose set forth.

G. The combination, with the actuating mechanism of a fodder-cutter, ofa gear-shipper consisting of a stud m', a socket m, adapted to receiveand to hold said stud in desired adj ustment, said stud havinganeccentric end portion perforated longitudinally, a shaft m4 placedtherein, said shaft having at its upper end portion an eccentricportion, a yoke k6 to embrace said eccentric, and means to rotate saideccentric to engage and disengage said mechanism, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth. y

7. In combination, in a fodder-cutter, a knife-Wheel having its axes'and supportingshaft parallel With and to one side the fodderbox, andknives secured to said Wheel to cut transversely to theline of its axis,the cuttingedges of said knives to rake oppositely in their sweep acrossthe stationary knife, substantially as described, and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of March,A. D. 1890.

JOSEPH DICK. Witnessesz W. K. MILLER,

CHAs. R. MILLER.

